SAN ANTONIO — Buoyed by the fifth-largest crowd in program history (1,105), UTSA swept three-time defending Conference USA Champion Tulsa by scores of 25-11, 25-18, and 25-21 on Sunday to claim the regular season league title.
It marked the fourth conference crown in program history and first since 2010. UTSA (21-7, 13-1 C-USA) blitzed through its new home by winning 13 of 14 league matches for the second regular season championship in school annals.
McKenzie Adams was dominant in the final home match of her illustrious career, as she collected 22 kills on just 47 attempts for an attack percentage of .340. Annie Kunes led four Roadrunners with double-digit digs with 24, while Paige Hamilton added 13 and Jessica Waldrip and Daniella Villarreal both tallied 10.
Kellie Culbertson and Erica Bohannon led the Golden Hurricane (23-6, 12-2 C-USA) with 10 winners apiece and Valerie El Houssine registered a team-high 17 digs.
UTSA came out firing on all cylinders in the opening stanza and hit .393 while limiting Tulsa to a .000 attack percentage. Adams delivered a set-high six kills on only 10 attempts and Kunes notched nine digs, as the Birds broke open an early 3-3 tie to run away with the opening set.
Momentum seemed to turn in the second set, as the Golden Hurricane built a 12-8 lead following an attack error by the Roadrunners. However, UTSA rebounded and closed the set on a 17-10 run to take a commanding lead into the locker room. Adams once again led the way with seven kills.
The Roadrunners continued to lean on their All-America candidate in the decisive set, as Adams powered down nine winners and helped UTSA escape a 16-13 deficit. She notched four kills in the match’s final eight points and Dajana Boskovic and Lauren Muenchow combined to block El Houssine's attack for the championship point.
UTSA will begin C-USA Tournament play at noon on Friday against the winner of Thursday’s first-round matchup between Southern Mississippi and UTEP.